Machine foe knitting rattan



(No Model.) 13 SheetsSheet 1.

H. M. RICH & E. L. TAFT.

MACHINE FOR KNITTING RATTAN.

No. 544,443. PatentedAug. 13,1895.

' (No Model.) 13 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. M. RIOH & E. L. TAFT. MACHINE FOR KNITTING RATTAN.

No. 544,443. Patented Aug. 13,1895.

I (No Model.) 13 Sheets-Sheet 3.

H. M. RICH & E. L. TAFT. MACHINE FOR KNITTING RATTAN.

No. 544,443. Patented Aug. '13, 1895.

WWW 93 m. of (sogmdx, 9

13 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

H. M. RICH & E. L. TAFT. MACHINE FOR KNITTING RATTAN. No. 544,443. Patented Aug 13,1895.

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13 Sheets-Sheet 5. H. M. RICH & E. L. TAFT. MACHINE FOR KNITTING RATTAN.

No. 544,443. Patented Aug. 13,1895.

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H. M RIGH & E. L. TAFT. MACHINE FOR KNITTING RATTAN.

No. 544,443. Patented Aug. 13, 1895.

(No Model.) 1s Sheets-Sheet s.

H. M. RICH & E. L. T AFT. MACHINE FOR KNITTING RATTAN.

No. 544,443. Patented Aug. 13, 1895.

(No Model.) 13 Sheets-$110M 9.

H. M. RICH & E. L. TAFT. MAGHINB FOR KNITTING RATTAN.

No. 544,443. Patented Aug. 13, 1895.

(No Model.) 13 SheetsSheet 10. H. M. RICH & E. L. TAPT. MACHINE FOR KNITTING RATTAN.

Lil l W W w (No Model.) 13 Sheets-Sheet 11. H. M. RICH & E. L. TAFT.

MACHINE FOR KNITTING RATTAN. No. 544,443.

Patented Aug. 13, 18 95.,

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I II llllllllllllllll l F (No Model.) 13 Sheets-Sheet 12.

H. M. RICH & E. L. TAFT. MACHINE FOR KNITTING RATTAN.

No. 544,443. Patented Aug. 13, 1895.

whine/sow at m mvewlzfo 0 ewm Maud I 9 @Dmumb 02mm (No Model.) 1 3 SheetsSheet H. M. RICH 8v E. L. T AFT MACHINE FOR KNITTING RA'I'TYAN. I

Patented Aug. 13, 1895.

m W W W A X M m M HENRY MURDO oK RICH, or, ATHOL AND EDWARD LOVELL TAFT, OF

GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHlNE FOR KN ITTING RATTAN.

srncrrrca'rron forming part of Letters resent No. 544,443, dated August 13,1895.

Application filed October 24,1888.

To all whom it may concern.--

Be it known that we, HENRYMURDOOK RICH, residing at Athol, and EDWARD LOVELL TAFT, residing at Gard ner, in the county of Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, citi- Zens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Knitting Rattan, of which the following is a specification, containing a full, clear, and exact description of the same, accompanied by drawings representing a knitting-machine for knitting rattan, embodying our invention, and in which Figure 1 represents a front view ofthe rattan-knitting machine, with a portion of the supporting framework removed in order to more clearly disclose the operating parts of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine, showing the left-hand side. Fig. 3 shows a side view of the machine with a portion of the framework removed in order to show the operating parts contained within' the shell or case forming the frame. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the machine. Fig. 4: represents a rear view with a portion of the loopwithdrawing mechanism removed and with the ring carrying the loop-holders with its supporting-stand also removed, and showing the mechanism for imparting anintermittent r tary motion to the loop-withdrawing mechanism. Fig. 5 represents in enlarged View a portion of the mechanism by which an intermittent feeding motion is given to the loop holders. Fig. 6 represents a side view of one of the loop-holders and connected mechanism by which the loop is formed. Fig. 7 shows one of the loop-holders with its sliding block 50 in its highest position on the post 46. Fig. 8 represents the sliding block 50 detached and in perspective View. Fig. 9 is a side view of one of the loop-holders and connected mechanism for forming the loop, (shown partially in sectional view,) as indicated by the broken lineX Xin Fig. 16. Fig. 10 isa side view of one of the loop-holders, showing the position of the operating parts as the needle is transferring a loop to the loop-holder. Fig. 11 represents a rear view of a portion of the loopt'ormer 65, showing the prongs or front jaws 8O 81 and the vertical walls 71 71. Fig. 12

represents a rear view of o ne' of the looptransferred to the back jaws.

Serial No. 289,072. tno'm'oaem holdersand connected mechanism for forming the 1001). Fig. 13 shows the upper end of thelneedle' in rear view. Fig. 13? shows the upper end of the needle in side view; Fig. 14: is a cross-sectional view of. the needle on line X X,Fig. 13. Fig. 15 represents a portion of one of the back jaws for holding the strand of rattan. Fig. 16 is a top view'of the strandholding jaws in their position as a loop is being formed'by the action of the reciprocating needle. Fig. 17 is a top view of the strandholding jaws in their position after a loop has been formed, the needle withdrawn, and the front jaws moved a short distance with the loop-holder.- Fig. 18 is a top view of the strand-holdingjaws-in their position at the end of the forward rocking motion of the jaws, showing the strand as having been Fig. 19 shows a top view of the strand-holdingjaws in their position as the front jaws are being moved back into alignment with the needle. Fig. 20 represents in detached view a portion of the mechanism for withdrawing the loops, and showing the relative positions of the loopholder and'withdrawing-link before. the link has been pushed back by the sliding plunger 152. Fig. 21 represents the same mechanism as Fig. 20, but with the sliding plunger 152 shown in central sectional view and with the parts of the mechanism shown in their relative position after the plunger has pushed the hooked link 121 back. Fig. 22 represents a sectional plan view of the loop-former 65 and arm Sat pivoted on coincident axes on line X X Fig. 6. Fig. 23 shows the end of the link 77 in perspective view and illustrates its connection with the end of the lever 73 Fig; 24 shows a rear view of the reciprocating'needle 26, with aside view of the strand-retaining walls 110 and a portion of the strand-tube partly in central sectional view. Fig. 25 represents in detached view the actuating-links 77 and 87, with the link 87 detached from the oscillating-lever 18. Fig. 26 represents in diagrammatic View the three loops and one of the hooked withdrawing-links, showing their relative position as a loop is being formed by the reciprocating nee dle. Fig. 27 shows three loops and a hooked link in their relative position as the hooked link has been forced forward to engage a new loop by means of the cam-plate 130. Fig. 28 shows the same in their relative position as the link has been forced back by the camplate 126, so the hook 125 shall engage the loop 175. Fig. 29 shows the samein their relative position as the hooked link is pushed back by the sliding'plunger, the loop 174,in Figs. 26 and 27, as held upon the tongue 51 and at right angles to the loops 175 and 176, which forms a portion of the fabric already knit. In Fig. 28 loop 174 is shown in its position at an oblique angle with the knit fabric, as represented by the loops 175 and 176, the loop 174 being held upon the tongue 51 after the post 46 has been raised by the cam-plate 117. Fig. 30 represents a section of the knit fabric as being applied to the frame of a chair-back. Fig. 31 represents a side View of the knitting-machine, showing the right-hand side. Fig. 32 represents a rear view of the loop-former 65, as shown in Fig. 11, but with the jaw 81 corrugated or provided with sharp teeth, by which the strand of rattan is slightly indented as it is bent around the jaw as a fulcrum; and Fig. 33 represents one of the loops, showing the indentations as formed by the jaw 81 and the toothed wheel 107 in the process of bending the strand. Similar parts in the several views are denoted by similar figures.

The object of our present invention is to produce a knittingmachine by means of which a continuous tubular web of rattan may be knit from a continuous strand of rattan; and it consists in a row of loop-holders arranged in a circle and having an intermittent feeding motion by which each successive loop of the knit fabric is moved along in the proper position to receive a new loop; in the connected operating mechanism by which the intermittent feeding motion is imparted to the row of loop-holders, and in certain modifications in the mechanism for forming the loops, which are improvements upon the loopforming devices which were shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 299,295, granted to us on the 27th day of May, 1884; in providing mechanism for withdrawing the loops from the loop-holders; in the device for facilitating the bending of the strand of rattan and preventing the splitting of the same while being formed into a loop, and in the construction and arrangement of the operating parts, as hereinafter described, and specifically set forth in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 denotes a supporting stand or table supporting the operative parts of the machine.

2 is a shell or case inclosing the main actuating parts, and within which, journaled in bearings attached to the shell, is the main driving-shaft 3, having the hand-wheel 4, and driving-belt pulley 5 running loosely upon the shaft 3, and connected therewith when desired by means of the clutch 6.

7 is a cam having a suitably-shaped camslot upon its face, by which the lever 8 is given an oscillating motion about the stud 9, Fig. 4, thereby imparting a reciprocating motion to the feed-rack 10.

11 denotes a cam upon the main shaft, by which a vibratory motion is imparted to the radial arm 12 attached to the rock-shaft '13, which also carries an arm 14 connected with a vertically-sliding plate 15. The rock-shaft 13 is journaled in bearings attached to the top of the supporting-table 1, and the vertically-sliding plate 15 slides in ways attached to the table 1.

. 16, Fig. 1, denotes a bearing to the main shaft 3, supported by a bracket attached to the shell 2, but shown as broken away in the drawings, to disclose the operating parts at the rear of the machine.

17 is a cam attached to the main shaft 3 and having:a cam-slot upon its side, bywhich an oscillating motion isgiven'to the lever 18, Figs. 1 and 3, upon its stud 19, held by the shell 2.

Upon the inner end of the main shaft 3 is placed the crank-disk 20, having a crank-pin 21 working in the slot 22 of the plate 23, Fig. 3, sliding in vertical ways in a stand 24 attached to the table 1. The slotted piece 23 is provided with an arm 25, Fig. 3, to which the needle-bar 26 is attached, and the slot 22 is so formed that the rotation of the crank-pin 21 causes an intermittent reciprocating movement of the needle-bar 26, as hereinafter described.

To the top of the table 1 is attached the the rear of the machine and with the stand 28 supporting the four equidistant studs 29, upon which are placed rolls entering a slot in the ring30, one of the rolls 29 being shown in Fig. 6. Lugs 31 project-from the stands 27 and 28, holding studs 32, which carry rolls 33, resting against the back side of the ring 30, and upon the frontside of the arched stand 27 are lugs holding studs carrying rolls 3+1, resting against the flange 35 of the ring 30, three of the rolls being shown in Fig. 1. The ring 30 is thus supported upon the rolls 29 placed in the concentric T-shaped slot 29 of the ring 30 and moved with an intermittent rotary motion by means of the rack 10 alternately engaging the teeth 36 on the ring 30, the two cams 7 and 11 being so timed thatas the rack is moved toward the left the vertically-sliding plate 15 is moved up, so as to bring the rack 10, which rests thereon, into engagement with the teeth upon the ring 30, and as the rack 10 is moved toward the right, Fig. 5, the plate 15 is lowered, allowing the rack to be moved back out of mesh with the teeth in the ring. The sliding movement of 37 about its stud 38, which imparts a sliding motion to the locking-bar 39, provided with l teeth 40, which engage the teeth of the ring arched stand 27, Fig. 4, extending upward at the plate 15 is also made to oscillate a lever 7 nating in the pin-shaped projection 55.

ring is moved with an intermittent motion in the direction of the arrow 15*, Figs. 1 and 5, the ring 30 being held during its period of rest by means of thesliding bar 39. Attached concentrically to the ring 30 is a row of loopholders 41, one of which is shown more clearly in an enlarged view in Fig. 6. Theloop-holder consists of a foot 42, held in a rectangular recess 43 in the face of the ring 30 by means of a screw 44 entering a hole 45 in the ring. To the foot 42 is hinged a post 46, consisting of a rectangular bar of steel, to which the rectangular collar 47 is attached by the screw 48, which also serves to attach the curved bladespring 49 to the collar 47. Capable of sliding upon thepost 46 is a sliding block 50, Fig. 8, which is provided with a circular tongue 51, hinged to the lower end of the sliding block 50, a pin 52 projecting from the side of the block 50, a pawl 53 pivoted upon the side of the block opposite the pin 52 and acted upon by the pawl-spring 53, and a stud 54 termi The circular-shaped tongue 51 has about half of its upper surface raised at 56,'the raised portion entering a depression 57 when the tongue is raised in the position shown in Fig. '7, and it is also provided with a semicircular groove 58 around its front edge to receive the strand of rattan forming the loop. During the period of rest of the ring 30 one of the attached loop-holders is held directly over the vertically-reciprocating needle 26, and the ring 30 is moved by the action of the feeding mechanism above described, as actuated by the cams 7 and 11 a distance equal to the space from the center of one of the loop-holders to the center of the next loop-holder, so that the feeding motion of the ring 30 serves to bring the several loop-holders consecutively into alignment with the needle 26, allowing the successive loops, as formed by the loop-forming mechanism, to be placed upon the grooved tongues 51 of the loop-holders 41.

Pivoted upon a stud 59, held in a bracket 60, attached to the case 2, is a lever 61, whose lower end is connected by a link 62 with the reciprocating rack 10, so the motion of the rack will cause an oscillating motion of the lever 61 simultaneously with the feeding motion of the ring 30. The upper end of the oscillating lever 61 is provided with the arm 63 64, (shown in enlarged view in Fig. 12,) in

which is pivoted the loop-former 65, having the two prongs 66 and 67, by which it is pivoted to the arms 63 64, the prong 66 turning upon the pin 68 and the prong 67 being attached to the pin 69, which turns in the arn1- 64. To the upper side of the loop former is attached a plate 70, having the upwardly-' projecting walls 71, forming abutments between which' the loop is forced by the upward motion of the needle 26, as shown in Fig. 12, in which'72 denotes a loop formed between the abutments 71 by the needle 26. To the pin 69 is attached a lever 73, carrying a stud 74, jonrnaled in a block 74 sliding in the slot 76 inthe link 77, Fig. 6. The link 77 is hooked upon a stud 78, carried in the upper end of the lever 18, and an arm extends upward from the lever 77 through an opening in the case 2, its upper end forming a handle, whereby the operator can connect and disconnect the lever 77 and the stud 78. The loop-former 65 is also provided with a mortise 79 to receive the loop held upon the grooved tongue 51 and a pair of prongs 80 81 with their under surfaces curved, termed the front jaws, the jaw 80 having aprojecting-pin 82, by which the pivoted back jaws are actuated, as hereinafter described, and the jaw 81 serving as a fulcrum around which the strand of rattan is bent as the loop is made by the upward motion of the needle 26. Pivoted upon a bracket 83, Fig. 9, which is attached to the shell or case 2, is an arm 84, capable of a swinging motion about the pivotal pins 85 85, the axis of its motion being coincident with the axis of the loop-former 65, and from the arm 84 a lever 86 extends downward with a link 87 pivoted to its lower end. The link 87 is provided with a hook by which it is hooked upon the stud 78 in the end of the lever 18, and it also has an arm 88 extending upward through an opening in the case 2, forming -a handle by which the link 87 can be disconnected from the lever 18 in the same manner as the link 77. When both links 77 and 87 are connected with the lever 18, the oscillations of the lever actuated by the cam 17 will cause a simultaneous swinging motion of the loop-former 65 and the arm 84 about coincident axes, the front and back jaws being made to swing back andforth at stated intervals with a short angular motion about a common axis, which is coincident with the pivotal pins 68 69 and 85 85. In addition to the swinging motion on the pins 6869, the loop-former 65 has a motion about the stud 59 as it is carried by the lever 61. Thus when the rack 10 is moved toward the left, Fig. 5, with its teeth in mesh with the teeth 36 of the ring 30, moving the ring 30, as described, the lever 61 is also moved about the stud 59, carrying the vertical walls 71 71 along with the loop-holder, which they inclose, the space between the arms 63 and 64 being sufficient to allow this angular movement of the lever 61 without bringing the prongs 66 67 of the loop-former in contact with the bracket 83 or arm 84 carrying the back jaws.

In order to maintain the operative connection between the lever 73 and the actuatinglever 18 through the link 77, the end of the link is provided with a slot 76, through which -the block 74* has a'transverse and longitudinal sliding motion, the link'77 being held by an arm 89 attached to the case 2, and through which the link 77 slides as it is operated by the actuating-lever 18;

The back jaws 90 91 are pivoted upon the arm 81 by means of the screws 92 93, and each of the jaws has an arm 94 95, the arm 94 carrying a pin 96, which is journaled in a block 97 held in and capable of sliding within the opening 98in the arm 95. The back jaws are thus connected so the movement of one about its pivotal screw will cause the simultaneous and similar movement of the other jaw in the opposite direction. The jaw 90 has a recess forming a shoulder 99, and the jaw 91 has a similar recess in which is pivoted a pawl-100, which is held against a shoulder 101 on the jaw 91 by means of the spring 102, and the pin 82 upon the front jaw 80 is brought alterna-tely against the shoulder 99 and the pawl 100, in order to bring theback jaws into alignment with the front jaws as the strand of rattan is transferred from one to the other. 103 denotes a blade-spring bent around the ends of the back jaws, with its tension applied to the back jaws to carry them toward each other during the swinging movement of the lever 61 until stopped by the pin 104c in the jaw 91 coming in contact with the inner side of jaw 90.

The needle 26 consists of a straight cylin: drical bar attached to the arm 25 upon the slotted plate 23, which is actuated by the crank-pin 21. The upper end of the needle is illustrated in Figs. 13 and 13, and is provided with a shoulder 105, which is brought against the lower end of the sliding block as the needle is moved upward, causing the block 50 to be slid upward upon the post 46. The tip of the needle is beveled at 106 to allow it to slide readily under the blade-spring 49 and lift it from the post or stud 54, thereby releasing the sliding block 50. To the needleis pivoted a sharp-pointed wheel 107, the ends of the teeth being adapted to indent but not to cut the strand of rattan.

108 denotes a tube extending from the upper side of the case 2 down ward through the table 1, through which a continuous strand of rattan is passed, taken from a spool placed in any convenient position outside the machine, and not shown in the drawings. At its upper end the tube 108 is parallel with andclose beside the needle 26, as shown in Fig. 3, and in larger View in Figs. 9 and 12, and the strand of rattan is conducted from the upper end of the tube 108 to a strand-holder 109 attached to the upper side of the case 2 upon the opposite side of the needle. The strandholder consists of a plate with the two vertical walls 110 110 extending upward and inclosing a space between them equal to the diameter of the strand of rattan through which the strand is carried, the section of the strand between the upper end of the tube 108 and the strand-holder being directly over the toothed wheel 107 upon the needle 26.

The method of forming a loop by the action of the mechanism above described is as follows: through the tube 108 and through the space between the vertical walls 110 110 of the strand-holden'sith the needle at its lowest p0- si-tion, as shown in Fig. 9, and with the'sliding block 50 at its lowest position on the post 46, the tongue 51 in a horizontalposition at right angleswith the post 46,the blade-spring 49 resting upon the stud 54, with the pin entering a hole inthe spring 49. The lever'61 is held in the position shown in Fig. 1, with one of the loop-holders between the walls 71 '71 upon the loop-former and with the loopformer and arm 84 rocked upon their pivotal pins so as to carry the jaws forward,bringing the strand of rattan under the front jaws 80 81. The needle 26 is then moved upwardly, bringing the toothed wheel 107 in contact with the strand of rattan, carrying it upward between the walls 71 71 and forming a loop 72, Figs. 10 and 12, the beveled tip 106 of the needle, pushing the tongue 51 up and passing beneath the blade-spring4t9, lifts it off the stud 54,1'eleasing the sliding block 50, which is pushed up the post 46 by means of the shoulder 105 coming in contact with the foot of the block, the pawl 53 engaging a projecting shoulder 112 attached to the ring 30, thereby holding the sliding block from moving downward as the needle is moved down. As the needle is moved down, leaving the loop 72 standing in the position shown in Fig. 12, the blade-spring 19, as it is released by the removal of the needle, will rest upon the tongue, as shown in Fig. 7, carrying the loop toward the post 46 and into the groove 58 of the tongue 51.

During the formation of the loop 72, as described,the front and backjaws occupy the po- The strand of rattan is conducted sition shown in plan view in Fig. 16, with the pin 82 against the pawl 100 opening the back jaws against the tension of the blade-spring 103 and holding the backjaw 91 in alignment with the front jaw and the back jaw in alignment with the front jaw,8l and with the strand 111 extending from the tube 108 over the end of the needle 26 and beneath the front jaw 81. A loop having been formed while the ring 30 is held at rest by the teeth 40 of the sliding locking-bar 39, and the needle 26 having been moved down to its lowest position, the ring 30 is moved by means of the feeding mechanism actuated by the cams 7 and 11, bringing the next successive loopholder over the needle, the loop-former 65 moving with the loop-holder by means of the link 62. As the pin 82 moves away from the pawl the back jaws are moved toward each other until the stop-pin 104 is brought in contact with the back jaw 90, as shown in Fig. 17, and at the limit of the feeding motion of the loop-former the pin 82 is brought against the shoulder 99 upon the back jaw 90,

IIO

pressing the back jaws apart against the tension of the spring 103 and bringing the back jaw 90 in alignment with the front jaw 80, when the front and back jaws are moved back by means of the actuating-cam 17 and intermediate operating mechanism rocking the loop-former and arm 84 simultaneously and carrying the back jaw 90 over the strand of rattan 111, as shown in Fig. 18. The backward rocking motion of the front and back jaws serves to bring the walls 71 71 clear from the loop-holder, as shown in Fig. 18, allowing the lever 61 to be moved back by means of the reverse motion of the rack 10, bringing the walls 71 71 opposite theloop-holder which has been brought over the needle, carrying the pin 82 away from the shoulder 99, permitting the jaws 9O 91 to be again brought toward each other, as shown in Fig. 19, until the pin 82 is again brought against the pawl 100,

and by its pressure against the pawl opening the back jaws, carrying the jaw 90 into alignment with the front jaw 81, the jaw 90 serving to hold the strand down between the walls 110 110 of the strand-holder and in the plane of the front jaw 81, when the front and back jaws are again rocked forward, bringing the front jaws 8O 81 over the strand of rattan, as shown in Fig. 16, and in position for the next loop'to be formed, in the manner already described.

The successive movements of the mechanism described above for forming the loops occur in the following order: The needle26 moves upward, carrying the strand between the vertical walls 71 71 and drawing it through the tube 108, bending the strand around jaw 81 and also around the toothed wheel 107, forming a loop 111, which is held by the loopholdcr as the needlemoves down. When the needle has moved downward, the ring 30 is moved forward in order to bring the next succeediug loop-holder over the needle, the loopt'ormer 65 moving with the ring, which is necessary, for the reason that the recently-formed loop 111 held upon the loop-holder is still between the vertical walls 71 71. As the ring 30 and loop-former 65 move forward, the pin 82, which projects from the face of the jaw 80, is carried from its contact with the pawl 100 and brought into contact with the jaw 90, .the pressure of the pin 82 against the jaw 90 serving to rock the jaws 90 91 on their pivots 92 93 and separate the jaws against the tension of the spring 103, holding the back jaw 90 in alignment with the front jaw 80. A simultaneous swinging motion of the loop-former 65 and arm 8t now takes place, carrying the loopformer back to release the recently-formed loop and carrying the back jaw.90 over that portion of strand which extends from the recentlyformed loop to the tube 108. The jaw 90 now serves to hold the strand down while the loop-former is rocked upon the pivot 5.9 in order to bring the loop-former opposite the next loop-holder, which has been brought over the needle by the intermittent movement of the ring 30, at the same time bringing the pin 82 against the pawl 100, causing the jaws 90 and 91 to be opened so the jaw 90 will be brought into alignment with the front jaw 81. The loop-former 65- and arm 84 are then simultaneously swung forward, carrying the jaw 90 off thestrand and bringing the jaw 81 to occupy the same position over the strand and bringing the vertical walls 71 71 into position for the next succeeding loop to be formed by the upward movement of the needle. The office of the back jaw 90 is to hold the strand down between the walls 110 110 during'the backward swinging movement of the loop-former, and the office of the jaw 91 isto act asa bell'crank when actuated by the pin 82 to swing the jaw 90 and bring it into alignment with the jaw 81, in order thatwhen the loop-former 65 and arm 84 are swung forward the strand may be transferred from the under side of the jaw 90 to the under side of the jaw 81. .A series of loops are thus formed upon the successive loop-holders, each loop being held upon the grooved tongue 51 of the loop-holder which is held in a vertical position by the tension of the spring 49, the raised portion 56 of the tongue entering the recess 57in the'sliding block 50, which is held up bynieans of the pawl 53 engaging the shoulder 112. .The loop-holders are maintained in a position with their posts 46 parallel with the side of the ring 30 by means of a band 11 1 extending around the ring 30 and supported. upon brackets 115 attached .to the arched stand 27. The band 114 is, however, deflected from its position parallel with the ring 30, upon the left side of the machine, as indicated at 116, Fig. 2, and between the deflected portion of the. band 114 and the ring 30 is interposed a plate 117, with its outer edge forming a cam-slot 118, through which the upper ends of the posts 16 of the loop-holders are carried as the ring 30 is rotated. By means of the cam-slot 118 the posts 16, as they pass through the slot, are raised from a position parallel with the ring 30 to an oblique position thereto, causing the pawls 53 to be carried off the projecting shoulders 112 and allowing the sliding blocks 50 to be moved down the posts 46 and bringing the tongues 51, together with the loops carried upon them, into a position at right angles with their posts 46. As the loop holders are carried from the cam-slot 118 into that portion of the band 114 parallel with the ring 30 the posts are again brought parallel with the ring 30 and with the tongues 51 in a horizontal position as they are inclosed by the loop-former 65 in its forward rocking movement, as above described, the loop held upon the tongue entering the mortise 79 in the loop-former, which maintains the loop in a horizontal position as a new loop is formed. After one set of loops have been formed the second series of loops will be placed within the first series, the needle as it carries the strand of rattan upward to form the loop the tongue 51, pushing the tongue up, as described above, while the loop upon the tongue is held in its horizontal position by means of its entering the mortise 79.

In Fig. 12 the portion of the horizontalloop held upon the tongue is shown at 119 in sectional view, and in Figs. 16 to 19, inclusive, the horizontal loops are indicated by broken lines 120.

The sliding blocks 50 are drawn down and the tongues 51 brought into a position at right angles to the posts 46-by means of the withdrawing mechanism comprising a disk 121, capable of rotating upon a stud 122 attached to and projecting horizontally from the rear side of the case or shell 2. Pivoted within radial slots in the disk 121 are a series of radialarms 123, with a series of links 124 pivoted to their outer ends, the free ends of the links 124 having hooks 125 adapted to engage the loops in the knit fabric as it leaves the knitting mechanism, as described. Attached to the case or shell 2, or to a fixed part of the machine, is a plate 126, curved concentrically with the axis of the disk, with its edge 127 presenting a cam-surface to the radial armsv132.formin an opposing cam-surface to'the edge 127 of the plate 126, the inclined surface 133, Fig. 31, serving to push the arms 123 forward toward the knitting mechanism. Mounted upon and attached to the curved cam-plate 126 is a cam-plate 134, its edge acting as a cam to raise the links 124 as they pass over it and bring their hooked ends up and into the loops of the knit fabric. The number and position of the radial arms 123 and their hooked links 124 correspond with the loop-holders 41 upon the ring 30, and an intermittent rotary motion is imparted to the disk 121 simultaneous with the intermittent rotary motion of the ring 30 by means of a feeding mechanism, (shown in Fig. 5, and in rear view in Fig. 4%) and comprising a gearwheel 136 attached to or formed integrally with the disk 121, as illustrated partly in the sectional view in Figs. 20 and 21, a threearmed lever provided with the arms 137, 138, and 139, having a rocking motion upon a stud held in the case 2, and actuated by means of a link 137 connecting the arm 137 with the radial arm 12 on the rocking shaft 13. The arms 138 and 139 are connected, respectively, with a lever 141, pivoted upon a stud 142, held in the case 2 and having a tooth 143, and with link 144 provided with a rack 145.

By means of the rocking motion of the three-armed lever the lever 141 and link 144 are rocked upon their pivots, and the teeth of the rack 145 and the tooth 133 are alternately made to engage the teeth of the gear-wheel136.

The link 144 is pivoted to a vibrating lever 146, pivoted at its center upon a stud 147, held in the case 2 and actuated bya link 148,con-

145 corresponding to and simultaneous with v the reciprocating motion of the rack 10. The

arm 139 of the three-armed lever-is connected with the link 144 by means of a stud 149, held in the end of the arm 139 and journaled in a block 150, having a sliding motion in a slot 151 in the link 144. When the rack 10 is moved toward the left, Fig. 5, with its teeth in mesh with the teeth 36 of the ring 30, the lever 144 is also moved toward the left, Fig.- 5, and the rack 145 is at the same time raised to engage the teeth of the gear-Wheel136 by the rocking motion of the three armed lever, which is caused to simultaneously lowerthe lever 141, removing its tooth 143 from the teeth of the gear-wheel136, allowing the gearwheel and connected disk 121 to be rotated a space equal to the distance from the center of one of the radial arms 123 to the center of the next adjacent arm and causing the radial arms 123 to be carried around the stud 122 synchronously with the rotation of the loopholders 41 around an axis coincident with the axis of the stud 59. The rocking motion of the th tee-armed lever is then reversed, bringing the rack 145 out of engagement with the teeth of the gear-wheel 136 and carrying the end of the lever 141 upward, causingthe tooth 143 to engage the teeth of the gear-wheel and securely looking it against any movement as the motion of the rack 145 is reversed.

As'the several series of loops are formed by the loop-forming mechanism, they are delivered therefrom in the form of a continuous circular fabric, a portion of which is indicated by the broken links 120, Figs. 16 to 19, surrounding the hooked links 124 and being rotated as the ring 30 is rotated, simultaneously with the rotation of the hooked links 124. Each of the radial arms 123, as it is carried down by the rotation of the disk 121, is forced forward by the action of the inclined edge 133 of the cam-plate 130, and as the links 124 pass around the lower portion of their path they will rest by their own gravity upon the knit fabric, with their hooked ends engaging the loops of the fabric. In the passage of the ra-. dial arms upward f1 on the lower to the higher portion of the circle they are pushed back by the inclined edge 128 of the cam-plate 126, drawing the loops of the knit fabric taut as the posts 46 are being raised away from the ring 30 by means of the cam-plate 117. Each of the radial arms 123 is pushed farther back as it and its corresponding loop-holder ap proaches the loop-forming mechanism by means of a sliding plunger 152, Figs. 1 and 2, held in a bracket 153, attached to the side of the case 2 and actuated by means of a bellcrank' having arms 154 and 155 and pivoted on a stud 156, held in the case 2. The bellcrank lever is rocked upon its pivot simultaneously with the upward motion of the needle 26 in forming a loop by means of a pin 157, projecting through a slot 158 in the case 2 from the slotted plate 23, Fig. 3, which is actuated by the crank-pin 21.

In Fig. 2 the pin 157 and bell-crank lever are shown in their position at the beginning of the upward motion of the slotted plate 23. As thebell-crank is raised the arm 155 is brought against the end of the sliding plunger 152, pushing it endwise against the radial arm 123, at that time opposite the plunger, carrying the arm back and by means of its connected hooked link drawing the loop engaged by the hook rearward, sliding the block 50 upon the corresponding loop-holder down upon itspost 46, and also bringing its tongue from a position parallel with the post to a position at right angles thereto. This action of the sliding plunger 152 is more fully illustrated in Figs. and 21, the first denoting the relative position of the parts concerned in the operation of withdrawing the loops before the action of the sliding plunger-152 and the latter after the radial arm has been pushed back. The construction of the sliding plunger 152 is also illustrated in Figs. 20 and 21, the plunger consisting of a hollow tube, which slides in the bracket 153 and is surrounded by a retractile spring 150, inclosed in an annular chamber and acting against a shoulder 160 in the bracket, and a shoulder '161 on the sliding tube 152. WVithin the tube 152 is held a rod 162, provided with a shoul-,

der 163 and carrying a spring 164, acting against the shoulder 163 and the end of the tube 152. A pin 165 in the rod 162 enters the slot 165 in the tube 152, and causes the rod 162 to be carried with the tube 152 when it is withdrawn by the retractile spring 159, and another pin 166 is held in the bracket 153 in the path of the shoulder 161 to limit the motion of the tube in the bracket.

The spring 164 is inserted in the mechanism for the purpose of allowing the rod 162 to yield in case of any undue resistance, thereby avoiding the breakage of the operating parts,which are actuated by the plunger, and the spring is therefore made of sufiicient strength to transmit whatever force is ordinarily required to move the block down and withdraw the tongue 51.

It will be observed that the cam-plate 117 not only raises the post 46 of the loop-holder away from the ring 30, so as to release the pawl 53 from the shoulder 112, but it also reduces the angle between the post 46 upon which the block 50 slides and'the line of draft exerted by the hooked link 124, thereby facilitating the movement of the block 50 and tongue 51.

The loop-holders as they pass around toward the loop-forming devices are made to again assume a vertical position by means of the band 114, and the sliding block 50 is locked down by means of the pin 55 entering a hole in the blade-spring 49. After the first series of loops have been formed upon the tongues, the second-series are formed in the same manner, each loop of the second series being pushed up through a loop of the first series represented at 119 in Figs. 9 and 12,

each series of loops'becoming looked in the series immediately preceding.

As the back and front jaws are brought into alignment with each other, as shown in Figs. 16 and 18, for the purpose of transferring the strand from one to the other, the front jaws are made to overlap the upper surface of the back jaws, so that any upward strain upon the back jaws is received by the front jaws. The loop-former carries the plate 70, which is provided with a circular notch 168, in which the raised portion 56 of the tongue rests while the loop is being made by the action of the needle, bringing the horizontal loop held upon the tongue in position to enter the mortise 79 and be thereby held from being lifted by the needle and the new loop being formed within the horizontal loop. The walls 71 71 are also carried up far enough to inclose each side of the vertical loop as it is left by the needle, thereby preventing it from spreading laterally, the sides of the loop being held by the vertical walls, as shown at 169, Fig. 12. The strand of rattan is conducted to the knitting mechanism through a tube 108, parallel with and at the side of the needle, so the action of the needle in forming a loop is enabled to feed the strand by drawing it directly through the tube. The toothed wheel 107 as it runs along upon the inner surface of the loop indents the fiber upon the surface, as illustrated in Fig. 33, thereby shortening the fiber upon the inside, removing the strain upon'the strand incident to bending, and preventing the splitting of the strand at the convex sides 169 of the loop.

Although the fabric as produced by our improved machine is similar to what is known as plain knitting, beinga series of loops siin ply interlaced, the refractory character of the strand of rattan requires in many respects a mechanism entirely unlike that employed in the process of knitting ordinary textile fabrics, in which the tension upon the thread to be knit is made to accomplish what in our machine iseffected by devices operating upon the strand of rattan during the entire process of knitting; and although the method of forming a loop by means of a reciprocating needle, with its attendant devices for retaining the strand and for holding theloop already formed, were shown substantially in the-machine forming the subject of Letters Patent No. 299,295, granted to us May 27, 1884, the conditions of knitting a continuous circular fabric are so varied-as to demand many essential modifications of the operating parts, as therein shown.

The circular fabric when knit by our improved machine is cut apart lengthwise and spread out in a plane surface, and being cut into pieces of the requisite size is stretched ICO 

